1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus and, more particularly, to an electronic apparatus having means for preventing a connector from being unintentionally removed from a body of the electronic apparatus, such as a computer, a bar-code scanner, a laser beam printer, of other similar apparatuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an electronic apparatus, such as a computer, a bar-code scanner or a laser beam printer or the similar apparatuses, when a connector cable is connected to a body of the electronic apparatus, a pin-jack connector is generally used. When the connector is connected to the body, mean for fixing the cable connector to the apparatus connector or to the body of the apparatus is usually used so as to prevent the cable connector from being loosed or unintentionally removed after the cable connector is first fitted to an apparatus connector.
Conventional methods for fixing the cable connector to the apparatus connector to prevent the connector from being unintentionally removed from the body are as follows.
In a hook-type one, the cable connector is provided with a hook which can be resiliently engaged with a hook adaptor of the apparatus connector to lock the cable connector to the body. When the connector is to be released, the hook is disengaged from the hook adaptor and then the cable connector is drawn from the apparatus body.
In a screw locking type one, the cable connector is provided with screws so that, after the cable connector is fitted with the apparatus connector, the screws are rotated by using a tool, such as a driver, to fasten the screws to the screw holes to fix the connector to the apparatus body.
In a connector removal preventing means as mentioned above, a space must be necessary around a connector engaging region in the apparatus body into which fingers of the operator can be inserted so as to conduct the locking or fixing operation. However, such requirements would affect the demands for smaller space and downsizing of the apparatus body.
In addition, even if the connectors are insufficiently fixed or locked, it is difficult for the operator to find such an insufficient situation under the usual assembling condition, sometimes, such an insufficient situation is found only after the operator turns on the power supply. In these situations, the power would be supplied even under the insufficient connecting condition, there might be a possibility to damage the apparatus.
An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic apparatus having means capable of preventing the connector from being unintentionally removed from a body of an apparatus, with a simple structure.
According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus: an apparatus body; a first connector fixed to the apparatus body with which, a second connector attached to a cable is to be engaged; and a connector housing provided in the apparatus body and having a wall to which the first connector is installed and a space in which the second connector can be accommodated; and a connector cover for closing the connector housing, the connector cover provided with projections for preventing the second connector to avoid the movement thereof toward a disengaging direction thereof to keep the second connector in its fitted condition with respect to the first connector.
According to the electronic apparatus of the present invention having a means for preventing the connector from being removed, a connector fitting operation can be performed in a relatively small space. Thus, in this invention, at the same time when the connector cover is attached to the apparatus body, the connector is locked by the projections of the connector cover. Therefore, in comparison with the prior art in which the connector is fixed to the apparatus body by using screws, according to the present invention, a space for inserting fingers or the like is no longer necessary, so that the size of the apparatus can be reduced. In this connection, according to the present invention, the degree of freedom for mounting or positioning the first connector can be increased.
In addition, according to the present invention, not only the connector is prevented from being unintentionally removed, the connector setting condition can be observed during the assembling operation and, therefore, any insufficient fitting of the connector can be avoided. That is to say, unless the cable-side connector is completely be fitted with the body-side connector, the projections of the connector cover are in contact with the connector and thus the connector cover itself can no longer be attached to the apparatus body. Failure of connector fitting can thus be avoided.
Further, according to the present invention, the time necessary for fitting of the connector can be reduced. Since the connector locking operation in the prior art uses screws or the like, a time to fixedly secure the connector to the apparatus body is necessary. However, according to the present invention, the time for fixedly securing the connector is no longer necessary, but simply attaching the connector cover to the apparatus body is sufficient, thereby reducing the time necessary for assembling.
In one embodiment, the connector cover is slidingly movable between the first position in which the connector cover can be removed from the apparatus body and a second, closed position in which the connector cover is locked to the apparatus body; and a sliding direction of the connector cover is different from a direction along which the second connector is inserted to the first connector.
In this case, if the connector or the cable associated with this connector is drawn, the connector comes into contact with the projections of the connector cover and, therefore, even if the cable is drawn in a direction toward which the cover is open, or a direction toward which the connector is disengaged, the connector is prevented from being removed.
In another embodiment, the connector cover is provided with at least two projections which are located at respective sides of the cable and spaced to each other by a distance larger than a sum of a diameter of the cable and a sliding width of the connector cover necessary for opening the connector cover.
In still another embodiment, the connector cover is elastically snap-locked when it is moved to the second position and the connector cover can be moved from the second position to the first position by forcedly moving the connector against the elastical snap locking.
In further embodiment, the apparatus body is provided with rails for slidingly supporting respective side edges of the connector cover; the connector cover is provided with projections and the rails are provided with ridges in such a manner that the projections are able to come over the ridges, so that the connector cover is locked at the second position and, when the connector cover is forcedly moved toward the first position, the projections come over the ridges to allow the connector cover move toward the first position.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus: a first connector; a connector housing, to which the first connector is attached, for accommodating a second connector which is to be connected to the first connector; a connector cover for closing the connector housing; and the connector cover provided with projections for restricting the movement of the second connector in its fitting direction.